Over the years numerous locking devices have been developed for securing large objects of varying configurations. Some objects such as surfboards present a particularly difficult locking problem due to the lack of any attachments or portions thereof which can readily accommodate a locking mechanism. The solutions to the surfboard problem as well as the problem of securing other large, awkwardly configured items have been the cable lock. The conventional cable lock is comprised of a steel cable which defines a pair of loops formed at the extended ends thereof which receive the shackle of a padlock. Such devices are restrictive for many applications due to the fixed size of the loop. Accordingly, if the loop has to be tightly secured about an object, such cable locks would have to be specifically sized for the particular object to be adequately secured. Surfboards and skis are examples of such items. In the case of a surfboard, the cable would have to fit about the board just forward of the skag and be sized such that it could not be slighted over the larger center portion of the board and, of course, different surfboards are of different sizes.
To solve this problem cable locks have been developed which utilize particularly configured cables which cooperate with locking mechanisms designed specifically for such cables. U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,608 is an example of such a cable lock mechanism. Such devices, however, are somewhat expensive and are often susceptible to unauthorized forced opening. It would be highly desirable to provide a cable locking mechanism which was variable in length and highly versatile in use yet of inexpensive construction and not easily forced open. Such a mechanism is disclosed herein.